“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:10 -18
Sage Patanjali wrote that
Tapas, Swadhyay, and Ishwara Pranidhan is Kriya Yoga.
Tapas is austerity and self-discipline, The whole world is going through that now, COVID-19, we all have to stay indoors, practice good hygiene, and make do with what we have at home. We have to stay away from friends, loved ones, and cannot venture out. This requires self-discipline and it is kind of a tapas, we all must practice. Each and every individual is doing Tapas in his/her own way
Swadhyay is the study of the self and scriptures to guide us. This is the time we have to be introspective. Look inwards and examine your purpose. Study scriptures that have meaning for you. And do not complain, grumble about hardships, because of the current situation. And remember, disagreeable people are thrown into our path of life, to teach us lessons! Be thankful for the difficult people you meet in life.
This forced isolation gives us time to reflect, observe nature and live in the present. Acceptance of what is, goes a long way to bringing peace, happiness and joy to your life. My son and I have a mantra (which we frequently have to remind each other about…)
Witness and accept.”
Lastly, Ishwara Pranidhana is the surrender to the higher power or cosmic energy (which vibrates in all of us). Once we accept and surrender, the cosmic forces guide us and provide a way forward. The universe always works for our good. Surrender to it!
How to prepare your body, mind & soul
Equipment
- Neti pot, Rubber sutra, Tongue scrapper,
Instructions
Wake up the Body!
- Before I even get out of bed, I do a yoga asana called Pavana Muktasana, hugging knees to chest, in the hopes of getting my bowels moving. (Let's just jump right into the nitty gritty facts!). I hate doing yoga asanas with a full large intestine!
- If I am feeling a bit sluggish, I'll listen to a "pep talk" on Insight Timer just to get started on the right foot.
- Once I'm up, I'll squat and drink a liter of water from a copper water bottle.
- Then brush, & floss my teeth and scrap my tongue.
- Jaal neti, using one cup of warm salted water for each nostril. Properly remove water from sinuses.
- Rubber sutra neti, each nostril. With the little bit warm salted water left, I'll gargle and rince my mouth with it.
- Garshana, dry brushing the skin wakes up every nerve ending! Love it! From toe to top.
- Next, Abhyanga, a wonderful self-message with warm oil. I use a blend of sesame and coconut oils, with an essential oil for fragrance and dosha pacifying, plus a shot or two of high quality CBD oil for good measure.
- Nose and ear drops before shower. I use desi cow ghee (warmed) to lubricate the nostrils after jaal neti; and for the ears, Karn Rakshak (warmed).
- Ambient shower – when it's summer the water is warmer; when it's winter, the water is downright freezing! But that's the way it is. Mother Nature controls the temp of my showers. In the summer, I keep a gallon of water in the frig to pour over me for a final chill rinse!
Give Thanks!
- This is the time to give a little prayer of thanksgiving. To remember people in your life, past or present; and appreciate with gratitude all that you have.
More Shuddi/Kriya Yoga – cleasing and chanting
- Sitting in a comfortable crosslegged position (I like Siddhasana) on the floor or bed. Do the following:3 x 90 Kalpalabhati10 rounds (1:2) of nadi shodhana (alternate nasal breathing.)10 rounds of Omkara10 rounds of Gayatri Mantra
- Next, roll out the yoga mat for half hour or so of vinyasa/Hatha yoga asanas.
- Asana yoga is followed by meditation for 30 – 60 minutes. For the 21 day lockdown, I've been doing guided Metta (loving compassion Buddhist) meditations with Ajahn Achalo on InsightTimer, sending love and compassion out into the world.
